What is St Croix like these days?

We are not fancy, high maintenance type of people. We just want to know that there is chance for us to get a job that would pay the bills and buy the groceries. We are homebody type of people so entertainment is not a priority. If need be, we would work several part-time jobs. Would the economy of the island sustain this or not.
Thank You

Think about what you are trying to do here - I'm not trying to discourage you, a lot of people go the route you are considering - but if you are working several part-time jobs just to make ends meet, are you going to be able to enjoy the island at all?

Again, you may have to choose work you'd rather not do or feel like you're not being compensated fairly for - but a good work ethic will go a long way.......if you can hang in there. I kind of liken it to being newlyweds in some ways - you just don't eat out as often and maybe you have more rice and beans in your diet than you're used to....but make sure that while you're working all of these jobs that you don't lose your mojo, so to speak - if you're rushing from job to job, then you really haven't improved your quality of life at all.

Life would be pretty grand on St. Croix if we all had a house on the ocean, a plane to fly off the rock for a while, and a sailboat to cruise around - but for folks of lesser means, it's just good to come with a stash of cash so that you don't have to alter your standard of living quite as much during the opening months.....it will get easier as you go along, but it just takes time to catch your stride....and you most likely will need to work a pretty tight budget to fly back to see the relatives occasionally (and that would be a commercial flight, by the way).....and the closest most people come to owning a boat is renting a kayak.....you can do it and you can be happy, but I would definitely say in all posts you've been given good advice - you need to come for at least 3 weeks.....if that's going to stomp on your cash reserves, I'd say hang on a little longer before you make the full transition. If you can do it, do as Linda J has suggested so many times - come with the least amount of "stuff" you feel you can survive with and try it out for 6 months.....at that time, re-think where you are.....if you're in love and you've found your paradise and have the money and the desire, bring the rest of your stuff down.......if you decide it's just not for you, it's a lot easier to load 2 people and 4 suitcases back on a plane, unpack your life from storage, and start again.

It's not all just attitude or what you make of it, or what your expectations are - that is simply not true. The best way I can put it is that it's like trying on shoes - some are beautiful but they absolutely wreck your feet, so after you've worn them for the 3rd day you figure out that even though they're nice and pretty, you don't want them for every day - what you want for every day is that old pair of sneakers that's so comfortable....and some people find their sneakers in the islands, and some don't....island living may "fit" you or not, but you won't know without giving it a stab - still, I just wouldn't throw myself completely into it until I'd done a 3 to 4 week visit (this is hindsight talking) But that's just me - one of the many who left for personal reasons.....I still think St. Croix is lovely....I truly do, and we had a GREAT time....it could have fit except for the financial thing and we had a huge amount of cash stashed back - unfortunately, we arrived with multiple pets and all of our worldly possessions in tow and it just made it harder to get settled in - and it also made it harder to check out when we felt it was time to. Travel lightly - if you can take a 6 month or year leave of absence from your job, try it out.....that's having the best of both worlds!

Linda J and Becky have great points - I wish that I had done the 6 month trial trip.

Perhaps I am one of those culturally abrasive local people, and as a result just tend not to meet the people who leave because they tend to avoid me. None of my mainlander friends have a problem with me or my culture--(they actually seem to enjoy Cruzan company!) maybe part of the reason why they've stuck around?

Also, not everyone (especially out west now that cost u less is gone) go to multiple grocery stores every week. For many of us, cruzan and transplant alike, plaza is enough. I occasionaly go east to cost-u-less for rotisserie chicken. But that's about it. Gasp gasp. But I have never been a big shopper to begin with...
So what Betty says is correct--make do wih things the way they are. And if you can, then your uphill "battles" will be considerably less. If you can't, then it seems as if you are destined to make the "battle" worse for yourself. It not always the islands fault-- maybe we should rename the thread: "What are YOU like these days?"

A Cruzan - I definitely agree that a high percentage of the people who reman on the island are those who have had success in making friends among the local population. Some do make friends with locals and still leave. Some interact only with other transplants and manage to stick around for a while. Integrating in some ways with the new location and culture is important for any new resident to truly feel a sense of belonging.

Becky R - While I understand the concept behind month long PMV's and six month trial periods of living on the island, it's just not realistic for most people. Very few employers on the mainland allow their workers a full month of vacation all at one time and even fewer would hold a job for someone for six months on the off chance that they may return. A few large companies or school districts may allow such a sabbatical, but it's not the norm by any means.

It's true that some of the people who move here after a short visit might have opted not to make the move if they came for a full month prior to making their decision. Then again, some of the people who successfully transplant here and stay for years might have never come or stayed if they had based their decision on their first month on the island. That first month is definitely the toughest for nearly all new arrivals since that's when you go through the biggest changes in adjustment to the culture, set up utility accounts and leases, etc. Lots of people would like to throw in the towel during that month. But sticking it out for another 3-6 months gets many people beyond that break-in period and they become much more at home on the island. Learning to drive on the left, learning how to get to where you are going, making new friends, selecting favorite hang-out spots and free-time activities, finding where you like to shop, joining clubs or service organizations, finding a church, etc. all takes time and effort but you do get past the learning curve after a while.

So, just like when you are breaking in that new pair of shoes, sometimes it hurts a bit at first but some of those shoes that felt odd or painful the first few times you wore them do eventually become your most comfortable pairs. Some were bad choices to begin with and you get rid of them in the end or they may be useful still for special occasions even if not for everyday. The only true way for someone to decide if the island suits them is to dive in and try it out.

I've moved to other towns and cities on the mainland where I felt much less of a desire to stay than I felt when I moved to St. Croix. Some of the islanders may be standoffish at first about new arrivals, but that is also true of people in many towns on the mainland who already have their friends and family and an active lifestyle and don't always take time to meet and greet the newcomers to their neighborhood. I personally like walking into most any restaurant or beach bar on St. Croix and recognizing at least a few people present. It sure beats being anonymous in a large city even if every consumer good known to mankind is readily available there on a moment's notice.

A cruzan of coarse you only need to go to one store you have the largest one on the island closest to you.

Becky R was not suggesting taking 6 months off from work but quitting your job and coming here but not saling your house and contents. No one is going to hold your job for 6 months. But you should know if you would like the island and if it suites you. The first one while challening I do not think it is the hardest. You should be prepared and know (if you have done any research) that getting a place to live and power, phone, etc will be challenging. Living your life and seeing if you fit in for the next year will be a challenge...learning how the island really works and really is for you.

Yes, the best Plaza grocery store and the best/biggest KMart are both located towards the west end of the island. In that, the west end definitely has the east end beat hands down! Prospective new residents might want to keep that convenience factor in mind when they are selecting the part of the island where they will live. The need to shop at multiple places to get everything on your shopping list is one of the more frustrating things for some transplants.

And Betty, if you read the last line of Becky's posting you will see that she did indeed suggest taking a 6-12 month leave of absence from work on the mainland to keep your options open to return there if it doesn't work out here for you... and that just isn't an option for most businesses to allow to their employees.

Anyone who can qualify for a job at the refinery that would come with benefits such as having your moving expenses paid to get here, a housing stipend, and maybe tuition paid for your children at one of the private schools is wise to definitely pursue that option. If at the end of your contract you don't want to stay here, the refinery will usually pay to ship you back to where you came from. Now THAT is truly the best option for new arrivals because they can try out the island for a year with all expenses paid and even make a good income. Then if they want to remain they may also be able to extend their contract and keep the $$ rolling in.

Most employers aren't going to endorse a 6 month leave, but depending on what your profession is, it can be done......I believe Kel and Joy are talking about working several part time jobs - and no offense intended, but I doubt either is leaving the presidency of IBM up for grabs while they figure out the islands. IF, however, they have marketable talent/trade/training that would make it relatively easy for them to secure employment SHOULD they decide to return stateside, then the 6 months is what I personally recommend...don't sell anything, don't burn the bridges, just try it on for size....and that's my recommendation. Leave of absence was probably a bad term, although many corporate and government employers DO provide for a one year unpaid leave of absence. We don't know what Kel and Joi do...but I don't care if my husband was being transferred from here to Boston, I wouldn't sell my house right this very second and barrel on off.....what do I know of Boston? And Boston is going to be a lot closer to what I know and understand than moving to another culture. Then again, my husband has a very marketable job - if we hate Boston, we're back in the South again....but all that moving around can cost a buck or two, better to be safe than sorry. I happen to love Boston and think I would be very happy there.....but who knows? I've actually only visited there for about 8 days. I'd bet that living there is a little different.

Back to the original question - can you make it with several part-time jobs? Yes, you most likely can. If you have a good work ethic, there are places on that island that would LOVE to have you - and if you are negotiable about your employment then more doors will open to you - but it may be tough getting that first break - it may be a piece of cake - who can determine that? But what you are talking about doing is changing your ENTIRE LIFE and at a relatively high cost.....and I think that warrants more consideration than a quick look-see. As many have pointed out before, you can't just throw your stuff back in a U-Haul and head back from whence you came if it turns out that the shoe doesn't fit.

The USVI is no different than anywhere else in some respects - it will be the fitted glove for some, it will be a nice vacation spot for others, and there will be those who will realize that although the dream and Jimmy Buffett songs are great and wonderful, it's not for their everyday life. But considering the skyrocketing costs of property, the lack of jobs, the expense of settling in if you do more than arrive with your 50 lbs. of allotted suitcases - well, I would rather put the full court press on the employer to let me have a month off without pay and try it out rather than put all my eggs in one basket and then find out I just missed Duluth, Minnesota in January more than I could have imagined.

You definitely have to form your own opinions. Before we moved down here, we heard from several people AND all over this message board that the island is so NOT gay friendly... that we could expect to be ostracized and life would be extremely difficult if we didnt just pretend to be roommates. Our experience here couldn't be farther from that! We have people who care about us, people who barely know us but still treat us with respect and courtesy and people who have only met us once or twice and still are warm and friendly. If I had believed all of the negative things I heard before I came down here, I probably wouldn't have come.

As far as shopping goes, I found that you just need to adjust your idea of what you think you *need* I used to make a menu for the week, and go to the store and get frusterated when I couldnt find everything I was looking for. Now, I am way more flexible, and even if something isn't on my menu, if it is something I think I might need in the next few weeks, like cheddar cheese soup, or canned green chilis, I buy it, because it might not be here next week.

One thing I am surprised about is that more people don't mention Annally Farms when talking about shopping prices. The beef is local and the prices are way, way, way better than anywhere else... plus it is fresh.. you can see them cutting off your piece as you order it. We have also bought pork chops, chicken and catfish fillets for a much lower cost than at Plaza or Food Town. I do all of my meat shopping there now and it has cut down my grocery budget by about 40 bucks a week.

i love this island. I think of it as home. Like any family, you have some disagreements, and some things that get on your nerves, but deep down, you still love each other. Just come out here for a visit and see what you think. If you are a basically impatient or negative person to begin with, you probably won't like it here. If you are flexible, and friendly, you will probably like it. People on this island respond to a warm smile like you wouldn't believe.

bethburnett- Okay that is simply not true that if your positive you will stay and negative you will go. There are some wonderful people who used to live here that still post and like it here but just couldn't make it work, whether it be for financial reasons, martial or whatever. There are different reasons for everyone on why it will or wont work. This isn't some kind of magical candy land where only happy people stay But I've been known to make generalization's myself. 😉

I have never said this island isn't gay friendly although there where people in f'sted protesting the gay cruise ship that fill up here last (think it was the last ship we've seen so far but not sure). There is a gay community but it is pretty small at least on stx. I wouldn't want to be gay and single on this island, but gay and with a partner why not?

I understand the idea of making due with what the store has and believe me I buy it all up if I know I may not see it again for awhile, but I love to cook. So when I need to find something I need it so I will go to several stores. I enjoy what I cook much more then when is served in most of the restaurants on this island.

Betty

We don't want 2 be rude, but everybody has there own opinion on what they are looking for or want. But it seems like no matter what anybody says or writes, you always have something negative to say about it. We're wondering, do u live on the island, and if u do, how long have u been there?

Kel and Joy -

How can you make a determination as to whether someone/anyone is being negative, or not? You haven't lived there yet. I would have thought you would have been more appreciative of someone's candor, rather than making judgements about their viewpoint.

It's always a little tough when someone bursts your bubble.

We don't want to get into all this conflict with everyone about trying to find out more about the island. No one is bursting our bubble, but it just seems like any time someone has anything good to say about the island, somebody has something negative to say about it. Everybody has their own views & points about everything, and i guess we'll have to find that out after we get there.

We appreciate all the info from everyone. We will be coming down for our PMV soon, and then we will have to make up our mind if this is what we want.

Take care everyone, and hope to meet with yous when we get there.

Kel & Joy

I have lived on the island 3+ years and am a homeowner here and have no plans to go anywhere for a while. Gone through this before on some pretty major threads on this board (not that you would necessarily remember). Have you really researched this board like you should Joy & Kel (only asking for your own benefit)? If you are really interested in moving here this board is a huge wealth of information and you would have had your fairly basic questions answered if you had done your research. If this is really important to you put the time in. It doesn't bother me that you think I'm negative, doesn't bother me if you hated me 😉 I know you're not saying that...before I moved here I did my research on this board and other places and did a pmv. But at the time I came there was little of anyone who really had anything negative to say about living here are. I think maybe it was still a little new then because I know some who used to life here and post are now gone and still post 🙂 I'd been traveling the Caribbean for 10+ years before I came here so I knew about the poverty and racial tensions, but we felt there was much less of a problem here then in many of the Caribbean isles. IMO the people that I see routinely fail to make it here are what I call dreamers. Who feel there life will be better because they are in the Caribbean and think everything will magically slow down and become easy. Your life will still have all the core problems you have back home only you'll have better weather 9 months out of 12 and prolly less traffic.

If you keep posting and reading this board and you feel ready for the change then come on down and try it out. But at least you will have been forewarned and hopefully forearmed against the pitfalls. Plenty of people do love it here and maybe you'll be one....whats the joke thats said around the islands about having goods here but chances are the goods are odd... 🙂

And whether you believe it or not I was trying to help you and give you both sides of what was being said. IMO SOME people that are happy here tend to forget or tune out all the negative and thats their choice and it may not even be a negative in their book. Like the shopping thing...some people don't mind making due with what one store has to offer....whereas I do. But most of the issues are much more serious such as crime, lack of justice, poor medical care, poverty, etc...

Betty,

With all due respect, to imply that those of us who like it on STX are either fooling ourselves or willing to settle or do not have your high standards is insulting.

Isn't it possible that our experiences are just different than yours? That we find the positives outweigh the alway-present-everywhere negatives? That we've found satisfying jobs that fill our days and friends and activities that round out our free time? That we can go to a bar or restaurant to listen to music without drinking too much?

Your experience is not universal.

Thanks for your post Linda J

That's what we have been trying to say. What someone else likes, might not be what someone else likes(Vise versa)
We try to see the good in most things, and we have been doing our homework on this for the last couple of weeks. We are looking forward to our PMV. We have been down that way a couple times, but it was over on St. Thomas. St.Croix just sounds like more of what we are looking for.

Take care everyone.........

With all due respect Linda I think you read what you wanted to into my post. You and I do not share the same opinion of this island and you're not a big fan of my post. The biggest point I was trying to get across to someone who was talking about saleing there house to move down here was to slow down and realize that this is not some perfect vacation stop for living day to day. I get the sense from your posts (and I may well be wrong) that you welcome the challenges here for the trade off of the many bonuses to living here. Whereas I have grown used to the challenges here (and also carry a book or magazine with me everywhere) and wont be sad to leave when my time is up. There are many great things about living here but the serious issues to me outway the good. I express this opinion to newcomers to help them make a informed choice. I'm not trying to sell anyone anything just trying to help them avoid pitfalls and problems in day to day life they may be unaware of. If telling someone the problems on the island makes me perceived as a negative hateful person I can live with that. But not saying anything to me is worse and I just can control my fingers 🙂

Not going to post any more on this thread so feel free to get the last word in. 🙂

i'll take the last word (unless someone else does).

as you can tell, everyone here has their own opinions about stx. it is unfortunate that not everyone enjoys this island as much as i do. my wife and i moved here just after 9/11 and haven't looked back. well, that's not true. we did look back at around the 2 year mark, but we're still here. i don't know if/when we'll ever move back to the states. we're still relatively young and have yet to have children. maybe that'll be the time we move, but who knows. we currently own a house and our own business. pretty rare for under-30 year olds.

our original plan was to be here for 2 years and move back. that didn't work out, since we're still here. we're here by choice. we love it. we've met many others with the same or similar plan we had. a few of them are in the same boat that we are - still here, still loving island life. but most have left. there are very few people that are still on island compared to who was here when we first arrived. island life is not for everyone.

"transplants" are transplants. i can't think of any better way to describe it.

just take your time in making the final decision to move here. take everyone's opinion into consideration. do a pmv. move here if you decide that's what you want. if not, don't regret it. create a plan, but remember plans change. if you do all that, you just might be like me and love it here. or maybe you'll be more like others who have fallen out of love through different experiences. either way, you make the call. someone living the life can't make that final determination for you.

-adam

Thanks 2 everyone who has replyed 2 this post. We r looking at all options. We r doing our home work on another place also. So, until we get all the info we feel needed before we make our move, we appreciate everybody's info.